Method and apparatus for setting font size in a mobile terminal having a touch screen

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for setting a font size in a mobile terminal having a touch screen. During a font size setting mode, an area of a region where a user&#39;s finger touches the screen is detected. A font size corresponding to the detected area is determined from among preset font sizes, and the determined font size is displayed in a specific region on the touch screen. If a font size setting request to the displayed font size is received from the user, the displayed font size is stored for a subsequent display on the touch screen.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a KoreanPatent Application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office onAug. 27, 2009 and assigned Serial No. 10-2009-0080108, the entiredisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus forsetting a font size in a mobile terminal via a touch screen, and moreparticularly, to a method and apparatus for setting a font sizedisplayed on a touch screen according to the area (or size) of a regiontouch-input by each user.

2. Description of the Related Art

In line with the current trend of providing a smaller mobile terminalwith a large display area, a variety of mobile terminals with a touchscreen have been launched. These new terminals can implement both adisplay and an input functions without having a separate display orinput unit. The conventional touch screens are typically divided intotwo types: a resistive overlay touch screen and a capacitive overlaytouch screen. Generally, in the case of the resistive overlay touchscreen, a user can make a touch input with both a stylus pen and afinger tip, while in the case of the capacitive overlay touch screen,the user cannot make a touch input with the stylus pen.

In operation, a variety of menus are provided in mobile terminals havinga touch screen to allow users to conveniently run each of theirfunctions. However, in the case of the resistive overlay touch screen, auser may relatively and accurately input (or click) a small-size regionusing a stylus pen, while in the case of the capacitive overlay touchscreen, the user must directly and accurately touch the surface of thetouch screen with his or her finger tip to make an exact input. However,the habits of each user is different in the touch area of the regionwhere he or she touches the touch screen, thus experiencing discomfortin attempt to accurately touch a desired item in a menu, which displaysin a relatively small font size.

A separate menu capable of adjusting and setting the size of menu fontshas been provided. However, if a user is changed, the new user mustdirectly find and enter a font size change menu to override the previousfont size setting which may make several attempts to finally adjust thefont size to a desired font size, thus creating inconvenience.

In addition, an Internet full-browsing function is provided in recentmobile terminals, allowing users to view the intact Internet screenwhich are available in Personal Computers (PCs) or notebook computers,even in the mobile terminals. However, in an attempt to run a desiredfunction, the user may experience discomfort in accurately touchingletters of a desired link or menu displayed on the Internet screen onwhich the full-browsing function is running as the Internet screen ofthe mobile terminal being smaller than those of the PCs or notebookcomputers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to address at least theabove-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at leastthe advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the presentinvention is to provide a method and apparatus for allowing each user toset a different font size according to the area of his or her touchregion in a mobile terminal with a touch screen.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method forsetting a font size in a mobile terminal with a touch screen includes:if a font size setting mode runs to set a font size displayed on thetouch screen, determining whether a user's finger has touched the touchscreen, and detecting an area of a region where the user's finger touchwas made; loading or determining a font size corresponding to thedetected area among preset font sizes, and displaying the determinedfont size in a specific region on the touch screen; and if a font sizesetting request to the displayed font size is received from the user,storing the displayed font size for a subsequent display on the touchscreen.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there anapparatus for setting a font size in a mobile terminal includes: a touchscreen for sensing a touch and displaying a screen; a storage forstoring a plurality of predetermined font sizes corresponding todifferent areas of a region where users' different-size fingers havetouched the touch screen; and a controller for running, if a font sizesetting mode run request is received from a user, a font size settingmode, determining whether a user's finger has touched the touch screen,detecting an area of a region where the user's finger touch was made,determining a font size corresponding to the detected area among presetfont sizes, displaying the loaded font size in a specific region on thetouch screen, and if a setting request to the displayed font size isreceived from the user, storing the displayed font size for a subsequentdisplay on the touch screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certainexemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing the schematic structure andoperation of the conventional touch screen with capacitive sensors;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a mobileterminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for setting a font size in amobile terminal with a touch screen according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be notedthat throughout the drawings, the same drawing reference numerals willbe understood to refer to the same elements, features and structures. Inaddition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions areomitted for clarity and conciseness.

FIGS. 1A to 1C show the schematic structure and operation of theconventional touch screen with capacitive sensors.

FIG. 1A is a side view of a touch screen 110, the surface of which istouched by a user's finger tip.

The conventional touch screen 110 with capacitive sensors, generallyincludes a display 120 for screen displaying, a touch sensor 130 forsensing a touch, and a window 140 for protecting the display 120 and thetouch sensor 130. The display 120 can display a variety of data relatedto the status and operation of the motile terminal, and the touch sensor130 senses a touch input made by the user's touch and untouch onto/fromthe touch screen by the user.

As regard to the principle of sensing the touch, the touch sensor 130senses additional electrostatic capacitances Cf occurring between thetouch sensor 130 and the finger tip touching it, then calculates theactual touch area 150 according thereto.

Referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C, on the touch sensor 130 are repeatedlyarranged a plurality of touch electrodes 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136in the form of a triangular bar in the Y-axis direction, lying on theX-axis direction, and are cross-engaged, facing each other in the X-axisdirection. Since an X-axis coordinate is determined using the arearatios of the electrodes and a Y-axis coordinate has been predefined,the touch screen 110 can determine the electrodes, onto which a fingertip has actually touched and at which additional electrostaticcapacitances have occurred, and based thereon, can calculate thecoordinates and area of the touch region. More specifically, thecoordinates and area of the actually touched (or contacted) region canbe determined according to the levels of sensed electrostaticcapacitances occurring on the touch electrodes 131, 132, 133, 134, 135and 136 located in the touch region, as shown by the graph of FIG. 1C.While it has been described that the touch sensor 130 for the touchscreen 110 includes a plurality of electrodes in the form of atriangular bar, the form and arrangement of the electrodes may bedifferent according to the touch screen manufacturers.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure of a mobile terminal according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the mobile terminal includes a controller 210, astorage 220, a touch screen 110, a video processor 230, a camera 240, acommunication unit 250, and an audio processor 260, and in specifics,although not shown, the touch screen 110 further includes the display120 and the touch sensor 130 described in FIGS. 1A to 1C.

The controller 210 controls the status and operation of most componentsof the mobile terminal. In particular, if a font size setting mode runrequest is received from a user, the controller 210 switches anoperation mode of the mobile terminal to a font size setting mode. If atouch is sensed through the touch sensor 130 in the touch screen 110,the controller 210 detects the coordinates and area of the touch region.Upon detecting the area of the touch region on the touch screen 110, thecontroller 210 loads or selects a font size corresponding to thedetected touch area among the font sizes which are stored in the storage220 in advance, and displays the loaded font size in a specific regionon the display 120 in the touch screen 110. For example, a letter or anumber corresponding to the loaded/selected font size can be displayed.Thereafter, upon receipt of a user's setting request to the displayedfont size, the controller 210 stores the displayed font size in thestorage 220, and then controls to display characters on the display 120in the touch screen 110 according to the stored font size.

Upon user's additional request to adjust the displayed font size, withthe loaded font size displayed, the controller 210 additionally adjuststhe font size and displays according to the adjusted font size.Thereafter, upon user's setting request to the adjusted font size, thecontroller 210 stores the adjusted font size in the storage 220 and thenmay control, in the same way, to display characters on the display 120in the touch screen 110 according to the stored font size. While it hasbeen described that the font size setting mode runs upon a user'srequest, the controller 210 may control to automatically run the fontsize setting mode during initial booting of the mobile terminal orduring menu entry by a user input according to the user settings ormanufacturer settings.

The storage 220 stores application programs needed to run respectivefunctions of the mobile terminal, and a variety of data generated duringrunning of the functions of the mobile terminal. In particular, thestorage 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention maystore in advance the font sizes by mapping them to the associated areasof the determined touch regions. That is, the areas of the touch regionsand their appropriate font sizes may be stored in the form of a look-uptable. Upon a font size setting request of the user, the storage 220 maystore the set font size so that the letters to be displayed later on maybe displayed according to the set font size.

The touch screen 110 includes the display 120 and the touch sensor 130.The display 120 may display a variety of data related to the status andoperation of the mobile terminal, and menus related to respectivefunctions thereof. In particular, the display 120, under the control ofthe controller 210, may display a font size corresponding to the area ofthe region where the user's finger touch is sensed, and display menusrelated to respective functions of the mobile terminal in the font sizeset upon the user's setting request. The display 120 may generallyinclude a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), an Organic Light Emitting Diodes(OLED), and the like, but it is subject to change according to themobile terminal manufacturers.

The touch sensor 130, which is generally mounted on the top of thedisplay 120, senses additional electrostatic capacitances generated by atouch of a user's finger or the like, detects the coordinates and areaof the sensed region, and delivers the detected coordinates and area tothe controller 210. A detailed description thereof has been made inconnection with FIGS. 1A to 1C, thus omitted to avoid redundancy.

The touch screen 110 displays on the display 120 a menu and/or soft keyfor running each of the functions of the mobile terminal, and if auser's touch is sensed on the touch sensor 130 in the location where themenu or soft key is displayed, the touch sensor 110 informs thecontroller 210 of the presence of a function run request assigned to themenu or soft key. Accordingly, inputs such as a font size setting moderun request and a font size setting request among the foregoing detailsmay be carried out on the touch screen 110.

The video processor 230 processes video data for displaying a videosignal output from the camera 240. The video processor 230 processes thevideo signal output from the camera 240 on a frame basis, and outputsthe processed frame video data according to the characteristics andspecifications of the display 120 in the touch screen 110. The videoprocessor 230, including a video codec, performs a function ofcompressing the frame video data displayed on the display 120 using apreset scheme, and/or restoring the compressed frame video data to theoriginal frame video data.

The camera 240 converts the light being input through a lens intodigital data, using a camera sensor such as a Charge Coupled Device(CCD) and a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS). To bespecific, the camera 240 is mounted in the form of a module includingthe camera sensor for converting an input light signal into anelectrical signal. The video processor 230 may also be integrallymounted in the camera 240 in the form of a module, but may be adaptedsuch that its functions are performed in the controller 210.

The communication unit 250 is responsible for the wireless communicationfunction of the mobile terminal. The communication unit 250 may includea Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter for frequency up-converting atransmission signal and amplifying the up-converted signal, and an RFreceiver for low noise-amplifying a received signal and frequencydown-converting the amplified signal.

The audio processor 260 preferably includes a codec to restore a digitalaudio signal received at the communication unit 250 by converting itinto an analog signal, and/or to convert an along audio signal picked upby a microphone MIC into a digital audio signal. The codec includes adata codec for processing packet data or the like, and an audio codecfor processing audio signals such as voice. The codec may be included inthe controller 210.

Although not shown in the drawings, in addition to these components,various other components may be additionally included, such as a digitalbroadcast receiver (e.g., a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB)receiver and a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) receiver) capable ofreceiving digital broadcast signals, and an Internet receiver forperforming Internet functions over the Internet.

To perform the Internet functions, a mobile terminal with the Internetreceiver may have a full-browsing function, which refers to a service inwhich even with a mobile terminal, a user can view text/video screens inthe same form as those in the general Internet sites, which areavailable in PCs, notebook computers, and the like. In this case, themobile terminal may be adapted to perform the similar functions even onvarious links and menus provided on the full-browsing screen.

That is, under the control of the controller 210 of the mobile terminal,the font size of various links and menus provided on the full-browsingscreen may be properly adjusted by calculating the area of the touchregion on the touch screen 110. In some cases, however, adjusting onlythe font size may seem somewhat discordant. Thus, the whole screendisplayed on the display 120 in the touch screen 110 may be zoomed in orout by adjusting even a resolution of the Internet full-browsing screenaccording to the adjusted font size.

Even if the camera function or the digital broadcast function of themobile terminal is being run, the font size of various menus related tothe camera function or digital broadcast function, displayed on thedisplay 120 in the touch screen 110 may be adjusted as described above,under the control of the controller 210 of the mobile terminal.

Now, reference will be made to FIG. 3 to describe a method for setting afont size in a mobile terminal with a touch screen 110 according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, if a user selects a font size setting mode using amenu or a separate soft key to set a font size displayed on the touchscreen 110, the controller 210 switches an operation mode of the mobileterminal to the font size setting mode in step 310. While it has beendescribed that if the font size setting mode is selected by means of themenu or soft key selected by the user, a keypad-based setting mode isperformed in a manual way, the controller 210 may be adapted toautomatically perform the font size setting mode during initial bootingof the mobile terminal or during menu entry by a user input according tothe user settings or manufacturer settings.

In the font size setting mode, the controller 210 determines in step 320whether a user's touch is sensed on the touch sensor 130 in the touchscreen 110. If the touch is sensed, the controller 210 determines thearea of the touch-sensed region in step 330. A process of determiningthe area of the touch-sensed region has been described in detail inconjunction with FIGS. 1A to 1C. After determining the area of thetouch-sensed region, the controller 210 loads a font size correspondingto the area of the touch-sensed region among the font sizes stored inthe storage 220 in step 340, and displays the loaded font size on thedisplay 120 in the touch screen 110 in step 350. A number indicating thefont size (for example, ‘5’ indicating a font size of 5) may bedisplayed as the font size, or a preset message (for example, ‘thecurrent font size is 5’) may be displayed as the font size.

In step 360, the controller 210 determines whether a setting request tothe displayed font size is input from the user. The setting request maybe input by the user using a menu or a soft key displayed on the touchscreen 110. If the setting request is input, the controller 210 storesthe displayed font size in the storage 220 in step 380. The stored fontsize becomes a font size, in which mobile terminal's menus running lateron will be displayed.

If a request to adjust the displayed font size is additionally inputfrom the user before the setting request is input, the controller 210determines in step 370 whether a font size adjust request is inputthrough a menu or a soft key displayed on the touch screen 110. The fontsize adjust request may be realized by displaying an arrow key, a ‘+/−’key, and/or numbers corresponding to font sizes on the touch screen 110and letting the user touch one of them.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, with use of the font sizesetting method and apparatus for a mobile terminal with a touch screenaccording to an embodiment of the present invention, any user of themobile terminal may appropriately change a font size according to his orher touch input, thereby accurately touch-inputting menus or Internetlinks displayed on the touch screen.

The above-described methods according to the present invention can berealized in hardware or as software or computer code that can be storedin a recording medium such as a CD ROM, an RAM, a floppy disk, a harddisk, or a magneto-optical disk or downloaded over a network, so thatthe methods described herein can be executed by such software using ageneral purpose computer, or a special processor or in programmable ordedicated hardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood inthe art, the computer, the processor or the programmable hardwareinclude memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash, etc. that may store orreceive software or computer code that when accessed and executed by thecomputer, processor or hardware implement the processing methodsdescribed herein.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for setting a font size in a mobileterminal with a touch screen, comprising: detecting an area of a regionactivated in the touch screen in response to an input contact during afont size setting mode; determining a font size corresponding to thedetected area among preset font sizes and displaying the determined fontsize in the touch screen; and if a font size setting request to thedisplayed font size is received, storing the displayed font size for asubsequent display on the touch screen.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the font size setting mode automatically runs upon booting ofthe mobile terminal.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprisingselectively adjusting the displayed font size by a predetermined amountaccording to a user request.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fontsize of the mobile terminal corresponds to a font size of menusdisplayed on the mobile terminal.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein thefont size setting mode is automatically run upon entry into the menus.6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal includes anInternet function.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the font size ofthe mobile terminal corresponds to a font size of links or menus on anInternet screen.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein if the font size oflinks or menus on the Internet screen is changed, a resolution of theInternet screen is changed according to the change in the font size. 9.The method of claim 7, wherein the font size setting mode isautomatically run upon entry into the Internet function.
 10. Anapparatus for setting a font size in a mobile terminal, comprising: atouch screen for sensing a touch and displaying a screen; a storage forstoring a plurality of predetermined font sizes corresponding todifferent areas of a region where a contact is made to the touch screenwith different finger sizes; and a controller for detecting an area of aregion where the contact is made during a font size setting mode,loading a font size corresponding to the detected area among thepredetermined font sizes, displaying the loaded font size in a specificregion on the touch screen, and storing the displayed font size for asubsequent display on the touch screen in response to a setting request.11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller controls toautomatically run the font size setting mode upon booting of the mobileterminal.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displayed font sizeis selectively adjusted by a predetermined amount according to a userrequest.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the font size of themobile terminal corresponds to a font size of menus displayed on themobile terminal.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controllercontrols to automatically run the font size setting mode upon entry intoa menu of the mobile terminal.
 15. The apparatus of claim 10, whereinthe mobile terminal includes an Internet function.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 15, wherein the font size of the mobile terminal corresponds to afont size of links or menus on an Internet screen.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein if the font size of links or menus on the Internetscreen is changed, the controller controls to change a resolution of theInternet screen according to the change in the font size.
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller controls to automaticallyrun the font size setting mode upon entry into the Internet function.